The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus that is grown for use as a flowering plant for pots and containers and as a hardy perennial for the garden border. The new cultivar is known botanically as Dianthus×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘WP 05 PP 22’.
‘WP 05 PP 22’ arose and was selected by the inventor in 2003 at the inventor's nursery in Houndspool, Dawlish, Devon, United Kingdom as a naturally occurring sport of Dianthus ‘DEVON PP11’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,919). ‘WP 05 PP 22’ exhibits upright compact habit, grey-green foliage, and an abundance of semi-double bright raspberry pink flowers.
The variety of Dianthus which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘WP 05 PP 22’ is the parent plant, Dianthus ‘DEVON PP11’. Whereas ‘DEVON PP11’ produces semi-double bicolored (lavender and mid-pink) flowers, ‘WP 05 PP 22’ produces semi-double flowers which are uniformly colored bright raspberry pink.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor in 2004 in a cultivated area of Houndspool, United Kingdom. The method of asexual propagation used was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.